CHAPTER 3: Rural Farmers’ Perceptions on Climate Change
3.3. Results
3.3.1. Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents
Sixty seven respondents were female (Figure 3.1). The males of the households are the breadwinners and therefore unavailable due to employment in neighbouring towns. This resulted in 33% of the respondents being male. Consequently, there is a significant difference in the percentage of males to females.
Figure 3.1 Percentage of male to female respondents
Majority of the respondents were between the ages of 41-60 and 61-80, accounting for 45%
and 29% respectively (Figure 3.2). Twenty five percent of the respondents were between the age group of 20-40 years old.
31 Figure 3.2 Age Distribution of Respondents
Results show that 33% of the respondents were females between the age group of 41-60 (Figure 3.3). Twenty four percent of the males were evenly distributed between the 20-40 and 41-80 age groups. One fifth of the respondents were females in the 61-80 age groups.
Figure 3.3 Percentages of Male and Female respondents per Age Group
All crops planted were for subsistence use. Maize was grown by 88% of the respondents while beans were the only legume grown by 59% of the respondents (Figure 3.4). About 56% of the respondents grow sweet potato and 51% were growing amadumbes (taro).
Although the community of Swayimane is known for the high annual yields of sugarcane,
32 84% of the respondents did not produce sugarcane. Fifty percent did not grow potatoes..
Thirty seven percent of the respondents grow fruits like avocados and vegetables like spinach, chillies, herbs, onions, red pepper and spinach.
Figure 3.4 Main subsistence crops planted by the respondents
3.3.2. Farmers Perceptions on Climate Change over the past 10 years
The data presented in Table 3.1 encapsulates respondents’ opinions on the effects of climate change on their farming regimens. Forty eight percent of the target population stated drought to have an effect on agriculture. Twenty percent and 12% of the respondents confirmed that decreased farming yields and erosion respectively, have been the results of climate change. Twelve percent of the respondents highlighted other effects of climate change on farming like heavy storms, inconsistent weather, flooding and inconsistent growth of crops. Two percent of the respondents felt that due to climate change their current methods of farming needed to be altered in order to suit the changing weather patterns. Six percent of the respondents stated that agriculture had not been affected by climate change.
33 Table 3.1 Effects of Climate change on Agriculture
Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture Percentage (%) of Respondents
Escalating drought 48
Decreased crop yields 20
Exacerbated erosion 12
Damaging storms 7
Agriculture has been unaffected 6
Inconsistent weather 3
Farming methods need to be altered 2
Flooding 1
Inconsistent growth of crops 1
Results in Table 3.2 show that 39% of the respondents are of the opinion that the non- agricultural environment has been unaffected by climate change. The non-agricultural environment accounts for all land which is not farmed on. Approximately one- fifth of the respondents emphasised a decrease in the grazing pastures for their cattle. Furthermore, 20% indicated that heavy storms were due to climate change.
Table 3.2 Effects of Climate Change on the non-Agricultural environment Effects of Climate Change on the non-Agriculture
Environment
Percentage (%) of Respondents Non-agricultural environment has been unaffected 39
Decreased grazing pastures for livestock 22
Damaging storms 20
Decreased levels of water in dams and rivers 12
Increase in different species of grass 1
Total 100
34 3.3.3. Climate information and variability
The research indicated that extremely high temperatures were observed by 30% of the respondents (Figure 3.5). Over the past 10 years there have been increases in pests like caterpillars and aphids well as random thunderstorms that included hail. This accounted for 19% and 14% respectively, (P 0.05) . Other indicators of climate variability mentioned included decreased rainfall, drought, strong winds, inconsistent weather and low temperatures. The remaining 1% of the target population mentioned that there has been no climate variability.
Figure 3.5 Climate variability experienced by the respondents with regard to extreme weather conditions
Fifty nine percent of the respondents need a combination of different climate information for farming to occur (Figure 3.6; P 0.05). Data shows that 49% and 42% respectively, prefer knowledge regarding the maximum and minimum temperatures in order to make decisions for productive farming. Thirty six percent and 34% respectively needed information regarding the state of the season, specifically relating to the amount of rainfall and minimum temperatures. Total rainfall in the month and the total number of days with rain was required by 13% of the respondents, respectively. Information regarding the total
35 number of days in a season with rain, total rainfall in a month and total number of days with rain in a month are not needed by majority of the respondents.
Figure 3.6 Climate information required by the respondents
The most essential climate information required was the state of the season regarding rainfall, accounting for 33% (Figure 3.7). Total rainfall in the season was also needed by 28%
of the respondents. Thirteen percent required information regarding the distribution of rain within the season. Twenty five percent of the respondents mentioned climate information which was less important for farming. Typical factors included total rainfall in the month, maximum and minimum temperatures, daily weather conditions, total number of days in the season with rain and total number of days in a month with rain.
36 Figure 3.7 Most essential climate information needed by the respondents for productive
farming